Tag Archives: Major Gifts
Making The Ask
It has been said that solicitation is the act of asking the right person, for the right amount, for the right purpose, at the right time. There are several things you should do, as you plan and prepare for a successful major gift solicitation. Let’s talk about the ask. Thoroughly prepare the volunteer connector, cultivator, [...]
No
No. A single syllable. So final. It can end a conversation like a stop sign. It has a singular ability to derail a solicitation visit. Our mistake is to read too much into no, assuming that no means never. No means not this project, not the requested amount, not the suggested pledge period or type [...]
Truly Transformational
Last year, Leslie Wexner and the Limited Brands Foundation announced a donation of $100 million to Ohio State, the largest donation in the university’s history. In announcing the gift, Wexner, a 1959 OSU graduate, said, “”We all have a responsibility to the community. We all have a responsibility to ourselves to live useful and productive [...]
Small Shop. Big Gifts.
We understand that the small development shop faces a unique set of challenges. One of them is the prioritization of time; carving out appropriate allocations for each of the necessary components of a well-rounded development program. What we must not allow is this hurdle to be the reason we abandon those essential elements: annual giving, [...]
Advancing Your Physician Giving Effort
Hospital fundraisers do well to understand how to engage their medical staff. Here is a possible checklist of steps to launch or advance a physician program: Form a separate, small committee of 3 to 5 influential physicians. Create a physician component within your major gifts program, specifically encouraging their engagement, and recognizing their support. Acknowledging [...]
Volatility
For a definition of volatility, one need look no farther than a graph of the Dow’s last five days. It’s been a rollercoaster of a week on Wall Street. While volatility causes concern among investors, the uncertainty it creates may be even worse for fundraisers. It has been said that our donors will give in [...]
Major Gifts: Creating Access, Ability and Inclination
Are major gifts your nonprofit’s priority? Of course. Logic tells us that focusing on the largest potential donors ensures funds will continue to flow into your coffers. However, on a practical basis, when you evaluate your day to day efforts, are you spending enough time on major gifts? An effective major gifts effort requires a [...]
